Category: District of Origin Tour

The Swamp District: Mud, Sweat and Fun

By Coen Pearson

The bounce is portrayed with a squelch of ball on mud. The humidity makes sweat pour. The flys swarm the screaming fans at the fence. A distinctive thump, as a mud armoured ball is kicked down towards the goals. The fans whistle and hoot. But, then the distinctive boom boom of the drums and the harsh sound of the trumpets. This is footy at Swampy Stadium.

They say, that the best way to experience local footy in the FCFL is to visit the Swamp District. But it hasn’t always been this way. Back when the City Football League (CFL) combined with the much smaller Swamp football league (SFL), made up of the Snakes and the even smaller, Frogs. In the CFSL (City Swamp Football League), both teams played at Agapantha Arena. Agapantha Arena, (now Swampy Stadium, had no grandstands, no rooms, no flashy scoreboard, it was basically the flattest, less boggy area of the Swamp. But it did have a small space for small orchestra. This orchestra defined footy in the Swamp. Big drums, loud trumpet, violins, all after each home teams goal. It soon become a place City folk loved to play footy. Then, in 2023 it was proposed that the Frogs join the FCFL.

For the Frogs to join to become part of the FCFL, they had to compete with the likes of the new Sunset Stadium, and the famous Queen’s Palace Stadium. Agapantha Arena, needed an upgrade. So, in late 2023, Agapantha arena received a new grandstand, a flashy Radio 305 scoreboard and home and away change rooms. In 2024, the Frogs became the 9th FCFL club.

Matchday was a sight to behold. Fans from all over, had traveled to see the new Frogs team from the Swamp. They loved the food, the farms, and the and the pre-show by the Big Bog Band. Bounce of ball, the Frogs facing the newest club, the Echidnas. The Frogs demonstrated that day, that the Swamp district was serious about Footy. Unfortunately, the Echidnas where more demonstrating they where a team not to be respected, after the Frogs finished the season with 2 wins, 1 draw and 7 losses.

Now, ahead of the District of Origin Tour match between the Swamp and their neighbours in the Bushland, they really have to prove that they’re game.

City District out of the race to win the cup

By Tom Shankè

The home of football, the City District is out of the race to win the District of Origin cup. After losing three of their four matches District of Origin matches.

On Thursday, they couldn’t hold on against the premiership star filled Mountain team at Mountain Ash Arena.

Results

TeamScoreOutcome
Mountains36Win
City29Loss

On Friday, all the heat was on at Queens Palace Stadium with the City taking on the Forest.

Results

TeamH1ScoreOutcome
City2135Loss
Forest1537Win

Today at Gumnut Grove, the Swamp couldn’t get on top of the City, resulting in the City Districts only win.

Results

TeamScoreOutcome
City21Win
Swamp8Loss

Two hours after, a tired City lost to the Rainforest a Revelry Garden Reserve.

Results

TeamH1ScoreOutcome
City1523Loss
Rainforest1328Win

After that, the ladder looks like this:

Benjo’s Recycled Timbers 2025 District of Origin Tour Ladder

PosTeamPWLDFA%Pts
1Bushland33002518112
2Mountains330000112
3Forest11000014
4City41300004
4Rainforest31200004
6Swamp2020182500
7Coast00000000
7Desert00000000
7Plains10100000
7River10100000

The City District had their share of a-grade stars, which showed in their first half. Their second half’s could not compete. In every game they lost, they led at half time. Hopefully, some young talent emerges to replace these out-classed aged fooballers.

The beating heart of it all: The City District

By Tom Shankè

The City district is where football started, the beating heart of football. Senior Reporter Tom Shankè dives deep into history of football in The City and the revenue it is now, ahead of the District of Origin clash between the City and their neighbours The Swamp.

The City District is centred around Queen’s Palace, which also happens to be the FCFL HQ. It is also appropriate that the third biggest stadium in the continent is situated right next to it; Queen’s Palace Stadium. You can see why the City District is the only district to have three FCFL clubs under its belt. And why the City District pumps out more talent and young players then any other district. It also happens to be where football started, 25 years ago in the CFL (city football league).

The CFL was where it all started, between four teams. The North, The Palace, The Eastern Bees and The Crocodiles. They played out 10 seasons before it was thought to include the neighbours in the Swamp District. So, the CFL became the CSFL (the city-swamp football league) And incorporated two new teams: the Frogs and the Snakes. This is how the junior league stands to this day.

Backtracking a bit, 15 years. Smaller leagues had begun to form in the Bushlands and Mountains District (MFL now the MBFL), the Forest district (FFL) and Rainforest district (RFL). It wasn’t until, four years ago, Gusta La Vidi came around and thought of combining them.

Mr Gusta La Vidi created the FCFL (the ferny creek football league) and tested out a small season in 2021, between the Kookaburras, the Lyrebirds, the Possums and the Wombats. They played and it was ultimately successful. In season two, now with six teams, the Kookaburras of the City District won the premiership. They have been in finals contention every season since.

Now, in the 2026 Fix Ya Fixture FCFL Premiership, two new teams have earned licenses from the City District. The Crocodiles and the Lorikeets.

If you go north of Queens Palace, you encounter the richer area of the City. Here, among small houses and luscious gardens you find Gumnut Grove. Built in 2025, smack on the world class Botanical Gardens the Lorikeets training venue is a perfect place for the district of origin tour to continue.

Go a little bit south, and you find yourself in the South of the City District. Home of the arts and sitting in the middle of that is the famous Revelry Garden and in the middle of that is the Revelry Garden Reserve. This venue is an open field with the picturesque Museum behind it. The Crocodiles train here. The District of Origin is brought here with the City and the Plains facing off here.

Now days, the City District pumps out more players than any other district and with the FCFL launching the new initiative to move towards players playing for their district of origin, we can expect performance to sky rocket for the three FCFL City District clubs. Unfortunately, this notion hasn’t shown in the 2025 District of Origin Tour with the City losing the two games they have played.

But, they have time to redeem themselves. With two matches left to play, the City have time to lift. The City face their neighbours and rivals the Swamp at Gumnut Grove on Friday night.

Tomorrow, Coen Pearson looks at footy in the Swamp district as part of the article series by fcfl.com.au for the District of Origin tour.

Drama, Red Cards and Fury: City v Forest preview

By Coen Pearson

The City and the Forest face off in the 2025 Benjo’s Recycled Timbers District of Origin tour, today. At 10:30 the biggest rivalry in District of Origin is re-ignited. It all started four years ago, in the first District of Origin tour.

“We actually hate each other”, says the 2021 City captain, Tom Shankè pre-game. A sold out Queen’s Palace Stadium, warm night with red and green fans everywhere. During the game was even worse. The city kicked away, leading by 21 points at half time. Then the legend Sandy Pieston, walked out of the rooms and smack-bang knocked out Bobba Le Bobbitt. Red cards flying everywhere, crowd screaming, the forest possibly made the biggest comeback of all time and won by 15 points. QPS was shaking, fights breaking out everywhere. But, Sandy Pieston came back out and hoisted the cup for the Forest at the end.

Today, the rivalry is re-ignited. They face at the same Queen’s Palace, but with Sandy Pieston coaching the forest and Tom Shankè holding the reigns of the City. It won’t just be a battle of players but a battle of coaches.

Even better, the City are coming off a loss, where the Mountains clawed back the lead and won by 7. They are looking to prove themselves in front of a near sold out QPS. The Forest are kicking off their District of Origin Tour and have to play more games than anybody.

But are the City too tired? Are the forest going too be saving their energy? Which players will put effort in? Two massive districts with huge football revenues. The stage is set for yet another thriller.

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Venue

Queen's Palace Stadium

Details

Date Time League Season
September 26, 2025 11:00 am District Of Origin Tour 2025

Up in the mountains: A history of the Mountains

By Kab To

The District of Origin is back, and it all starts with the mountains and the city facing off at Mountain Ash Arena. For the occasion Mountain District Corespondent Kab To looks at the history of football in the mountains district.

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Venue

Mountain Ash Arena

The Mountains where first introduced in the first District of Origin season as a way to get fans acknowledging the football revenue in the Mountains District before the introduction of the Cockatoos football club, in 2023. The first match was played between the Mountains and the Bushland at the currently under construction Eucalyptus Arena. The tv audience was large, and the attendance then reckoned a sold out Eucalyptus Arena. It was the second most popular District of Origin match, after the thriller between the Forest and the City.

The Cockatoos where a different story, after they played in the 2023 season. This was many due to the fact that the majority of Mountains a-grade stars where aged, and played for a different club. The cockatoos list at that point, was full of under developed 19 and 20 year olds. They then sacked their development coach, and received a fantastic new one. Two years on, they win the premiership.

In the off-season of 2023, Eucalyptus Arena had a new grandstand built. In 2024 the attendance trickled upwards. But, in 2025 the attendance skyrocketed with many sold out matches. In this off-season Eucalyptus Arena is receiving a major upgrade, with triple the seating being built and a new train station for the introduction of a second mountains district team, the Koalas. This upgrade was meant to be completed by now, but due to severe protests, it has been delayed. This meant the first District of Origin match had to be moved.

Luckily, the Koalas training venue had to be upgraded, midway through the 2025 season. Mountain Ash Arena, home of the olympic games BMX event, is primed for its first ever FCFL style match. Much smaller, with a bowl shaped stands and a closing roof, the new like venue is slick sight painted all black with the distinctive green gum leaves painted on the sides. The tour kicks off here.

Football has evolved significantly in the Mountains District, from being disregarded to having two teams, two venues and the reigning premiers.

Tomorrow, Tom Shankè delivers a profile of footy in the heart of it all: The City District.

District of origin Preview

By Colin Patterson

The District of Origin is back, now with a tour from top to bottom of our mighty continent. 17 matches between 10 teams. It all kicks of with the launch at the currently under construction Eucalyptus Arena. The ceremony will be live on 305 Sport.

It has been a long time since the District of Origin was introduced and then, cut out. But the FCFL has been preparing and crowds and tv numbers are set to score highly. It was introduced in the off-season of the first ever FCFL season as a few matches between the Rainforest, Bushlands, City and Forest districts. It scored alright with the audience, but not nearly as high as the FCFL home and away season and the finals series. A year after, it was discontinued.

But, The District of Origin is back and with every district with a decent football revenue introduced. All major FCFL venues like The Bowl and Queen’s Palace Stadium and small ones like Rocky Cliffs Reserve in the west and Gumnut Grove in the northern city get featured.

Teams are the following: Mountains, City, Swamp, Bushlands, Rainforest, Plains, Coast, Forest, Desert and River. No matter where your from, there is somewhere you can support.

The first match is at Mountain Ash Arena, between the Mountains and the City.

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Venue

Mountain Ash Arena